A HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND 



Carlisle's churches in the diocese of Durham to Bishop Robert of Durham, 

 and a writ was issued to Robert de Avenel to make livery accordingly 

 and not to meddle with them further. 1 A different rule was applied to 

 the custody of the spiritualities situated within the vacant bishopric ; 

 these were adjudged to the primate of the province by order of Parlia- 

 ment. A test case arose in 1328 after the death of Bishop Halton, 

 when Robert de Barton, keeper of the bishopric, was ordered by 

 Edward III. to cause the fruits and obventions of the churches of 

 Penrith and Dalston, which were appropriated to the bishopric, to be 

 delivered to William, archbishop of York, then keeper of the spiritu- 

 alities, in accordance with the agreement in the late Parliament at 

 Westminster, that the keepers of void archbishoprics, bishoprics, abbeys, 

 and priories should only intermeddle with the temporalities and not 

 with appropriated churches, prebends and other spiritual things. 8 Pre- 

 cisely the same mandate was sent to the prior and convent of Carlisle, 

 who had been appointed keepers of the temporalities on the death of 

 Bishop Ross in 13 32." But this did not touch the right of the bishop 

 in whose diocese the spiritualities of other bishops were situated. It 

 was natural that these should revert to his custody and not to that of 

 the primate. The bishop of Durham had custody of the churches 

 within his diocese in the patronage of the bishop of Carlisle ; the 

 spiritualities within the diocese of Carlisle were the perquisites of the 

 archbishop of York. If this distinction be borne in mind, much con- 

 fusion will be avoided. 



A new type of bishop succeeded on the death of Silvester de 

 Everdon, not a politician engaged in statecraft, not a justice on circuit, 

 but a bishop who devoted his energies to the duties of his office. When 

 Robert de Chause 4 was elected by the canons in 1257, Archbishop 

 Sewall, who, according to the annalist of Dunstable, made him fair 

 promises and ill returns, temporized in confirming the choice, with the 

 supposed intention of securing the appointment of a certain master 

 John, thus causing a delay which obliged the bishop designate to appeal 

 to the pope for redress. 8 On taking over the charge after two short 

 episcopates, Bishop Chause was confronted with many difficulties, occa- 



1 The date of the articuli cleri found in the register of Archbishop Wickwaine (Letters from the 

 Northern Registers [Rolls Series], 70-8) must be about the year 1279, the only possible year to make Article 

 xiij intelligible. The see of Carlisle was vacant from 1278 to 1280. In 1279 the King addressed letters 

 to his northern officers to deliver the sequestration to Bishop Robert de Insula (Close, 7 Edw. I. m. 3 ; 

 Pat. 7 Edw. I. m. 5). 



Close, 2 Edw. III. m. 20. a Ibid. 6 Edw. III. m. 23. 



4 Though this bishop is found under various names, we have adopted that of Robert de Chause, the 

 name given to him by Matthew Paris (Chronica Mafora [Rolls Series], v. 678). As Robert de Chauro he 

 was rector of Stanton in the diocese of Ely in 1254, when by request of the Queen, whose clerk he was, 

 permission was given him to hold additional benefices (Cal. of Papal Letters, i. 307) ; he was dispensed 

 by Pope Innocent IV. on account of illegitimacy, and while Archdeacon of Bath, as Robert de Chaury, 

 an indult was granted in 1257 that he might receive episcopal dignity (ibid. i. 347). A local chronicler, 

 who ought to know best, calls him Robert de Chalize or Chalise (Chron. de Lanercost, pp. 101, 145). In 

 the annals of Dunstable he is named Robert de Chawre (Annal. Monast. [Rolls Series], iii. 205). His name 

 was given as Robert Chaury in 1290 by one of the clerks in the Court of Chancery (Pat. 1 8 Edw. I. m. 

 20), and he was styled ' archbishop ' of Carlisle by another (ibid. 5 Edw. I. m. 3). 



Annales Monastici (Rolls Series), iii. 205. 



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